Minister Wants Malay and Muslim Architects To Promote Islamic Architecture

KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 (Bernama) -- Malay and Muslim architects need to promote Islamic architecture in the design and construction of buildings and structures to prevent it from disappearing, swallowed by western influence. Information, Communications and Culture Minister Dr Rais Yatim said the country had different architectural backgrounds, with some buildings having local architectural characteristics while others had those of the East and West, but unfortunately more building designs were influenced by western civilisation. "Hence, the ministry wishes to work with the Aga Khan Foundation in the area of Islamic architecture, to find a way to gather all the elements that can bring us forward." Rais said this after opening the 'Treasures of the Aga Khan Museum: Architecture in Islamic Arts" exhibition at the Islamic Arts Museum, here, today. The exhibition runs until June 29. The exhibits belonging to the Aga Khan Museum based in Toronto, Canada have been taken on a tour of European museums, including the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. "What we need here now is appreciation and recognition for Islamic architecture. If we can have Chinatown and Little India, why can't we promote Islamic architecture?" He said the government had started making the move when a number of ministries including the Works and Education ministries together discussed about the need for universities to produce enough experts in Islamic architecture. Rais this in reply to a question from the media about many of the universities here, especially the privately-owned ones, tended to emphasise more on western architecture to the country's future architects. The minister said he would want to see each town in this country to have buildings of Islamic or traditional Malay architectural designs as these had their own unique beauty and were a rich heritage to be proud of. -- BERNAMA